I 


ARRATIVES 


OF 


lINDIAN 


THE        \PTIVITY 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


J670J 


XV 


LEETH'S 
NARRATIVE 


Of  this  edition,  two  hundred  and 
sixty-seven  copies  have  been  printed, 
of  which  two  hundred  and  fifty  are 
for  sale,  and  the  type  distributed. 
This  is  /  /  / 

No.- 


NARRATIVES   OF  CAPTIVITIES 


A  SHORT  BIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  LEETH 

WITH  AN  ACCOUNT  OF   HIS  LIFE 
AMONG   THE   INDIANS 


REPRINTED  FROM  THE  ORIGINAL  EDITION  OF  1831 
WITH  INTRODUCTION  BY 

REUBEN    GOLD    THWA1TES 

Editor  of  "  The  Jesuit  Relations  and  Allied  Documents,"  "  Chronicles  of 

Border  Warfare,"  "  Wisconsin  Historical  Collections," 

Hennepin'a  "  New  Discovery,"  etc.,  etc. 


CLEVELAND 

THE  BURROWS  BROTHERS  COMPANY 
1904 


COPYRIGHT,  1904 

BY 
THE  BURROWS  BROTHERS  COMPANY 


£ 

sr 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

INTRODUCTION,  Reuben  Gold  T/nvaites  .         .       ^ 


Facsimile  of  original  title-page         .  .21 

PREFACE,  Ewel  Jeffries          .  .         .     23 

BIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  LEETH,  Ewel  Jeffries  .     25 


INDEX  (new) 69 


1889082 


INTRODUCTION 

THE  narrative  of  Indian  captivity  and  fur- 
trading  here  reprinted  is  one  of  the 
often-quoted  sources  of  Middle  West  his- 
tory. It  is  commendable  enterprise  upon  the 
part  of  the  publishers,  in  this  era  of  awakened 
interest  in  our  historical  beginnings,  to  give 
the  little  book  a  new  lease  of  life.  Originally 
published  in  1831,  at  Lancaster,  Ohio,  it  had 
by  the  close  of  the  War  of  Secession  become  a 
much-sought  rarity.  In  1883  it  was  reprinted 
in  excellent  form  by  the  Robert  Clarke  Co.,  of 
Cincinnati,  with  Introduction  and  Notes  by 
Consul  Willshire  Butterfield.  That  painstaking 
editor  gave  evidence  in  his  annotations  of  a 
wealth  of  special  knowledge  concerning  the 
topography  and  history  of  Ohio;  but  unfor- 
tunately there  were  only  a  hundred  and  forty- 
three  copies  in  his  edition,  and  the  stock  soon 
became  exhausted.  In  the  preparation  of  this 
Introduction,  Butterfield  "s  store  of  illustrative 
material  has  been  especially  useful.  The  pres- 
ent reprint  has  been  made  directly  from  the 
original. 


INTRODUCTION 


Although  the  story  is  related  in  the  first 
person  singular,  the  author,  as  stated  both  on 
the  title-page  and  in  the  Preface,  was  Ewel 
Jeffries  —  just  as  John  Filson  was  the  author  of 
Boone's  so-called  autobiography.  The  informa- 
tion was  furnished  by  Leeth,  but  the  language 
is  clearly  that  of  the  interviewer.  To  Jeffries 
alone,  no  doubt,  are  ascribable  the  amusing 
specimens  of  stilted  phraseology  to  be  found 
in  the  dialogues  and  pious  reflections.  It  is 
quite  evident  that  the  speech  of  the  rough  old 
fur-trader  himself  was  far  removed  from  such 
grandiloquence. 

The  hero  was  in  his  seventy-seventh  year 
when  his  recollections  were  reduced  to  writing 
by  Mr.  Jeffries.  His  memory  was  unusually 
accurate  for  a  man  in  his  humble  walk  of  life, 
not  accustomed  to  keeping  records.  There  are 
in  the  narrative  but  few  errors  of  chronology 
or  other  fact,  and  possibly  some  of  these  are 
attributable  to  lack  of  knowledge  on  the  part  of 
the  interviewer.  Many  of  the  geographical  and 
historical  references  are  vague,  and  require 
elucidation  for  the  modern  reader.  The  story 
is  on  the  whole  an  accurate,  matter-of-fact 
recital  of  the  often  thrilling  personal  experi- 
ences of  a  typical  trader  and  hunter  in  the  then 
Indian  country  of  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  —  his 
numerous  expeditions,  his  intimate  relations 
with  the  savages,  his  captivity  and  life  in  their 


INTRO  D  UCTION 


camps,  chiefly  during  the  stirring  period  between 
1774  and  1790.  The  name  Leeth  is  evidently 
the  interviewer's  phonetic  misspelling  of 
Leith;  for  when  the  Scotch  city  of  Leith  is 
mentioned,  it  also  is  given  as  "  Leeth."  But 
the  narrative  having  become  something  of  a 
classic  under  the  name  as  spelled  by  Jeffries,  it 
would,  from  a  bibliographical  point  of  view,  be 
inadvisable  now  to  attempt  any  change  therein. 

John  Leeth 's  father  was  a  native  of  Leith, 
Scotland ;  his  mother,  of  Virginia  —  pious  folk, 
but  like  most  American  pioneers  of  that  day, 
poor  in  purse.  He  himself  was  born  on  the 
Pedee  River,  in  South  Carolina,  March  15,  1755. 
The  father  died  before  John's  birth,  and  the 
widow  passed  away  when  their  child  was  five 
years  old.  The  charge  of  an  uncle,  the  lad  was 
early  apprenticed  to  a  tailor,  who  moved  with 
him  to  Charleston,  whence  after  two  years  he 
ran  away.  Wandering  to  Little  York,  Penn- 
sylvania, he  bound  himself  to  a  farmer  whom 
he  served  for  the  full  term  of  four  years,  after 
which,  in  his  eighteenth  year,  he  hired  out  to  a 
Pittsburg  fur-trader,  which  adventurous  occupa- 
tion he  followed  for  nearly  twenty  eventful 
years. 

He  was  first  sent  (1773)  to  the  site  of  the 
present  Lancaster,  Ohio,  where,  fifty-eight  years 
later,  his  narrative  was  published ;  it  was  then 
the  seat  of  the  Delaware  village  of  Standing 


10  INTRODUCTION 

Stone.  On  the  tenth  of  April  following  —  the 
text  says  1772,  but  this  is  an  error  for  1774  — 
Leeth,  alone  in  charge  of  the  trading-post,  was 
made  prisoner  by  his  Delaware  neighbors,  who 
also  confiscated  the  stock  of  goods  consigned  to 
his  care.  This  was  one  of  the  numerous  Indian 
aggressions  in  that  region,  which  culminated  a 
few  months  later  in  Lord  Dunmore's  campaign 
against  the  Shawnees  and  Mingoes  northwest 
of  Ohio  River.  Being  at  once  adopted  into  the 
Delaware  tribe,  as  the  son  of  an  old  warrior, 
Leeth's  captivity  was  accompanied  by  few  hard- 
ships. It  had  of  course  been  necessary  for  him, 
upon  adoption,  to  pledge  himself  not  to  attempt 
to  desert  his  new  father,  and  this  promise  was 
faithfully  kept.  By  the  treaty  at  Camp  Char- 
lotte, on  the  Pickaway  Plains,  the  last  week  in 
October,  he  regained  his  liberty  through  white 
supremacy ;  but  it  is  evident  that  he  nevertheless 
considered  himself  and  thenceforth  was  consid- 
ered by  them  a  passive  member  of  the  tribe. 

Then  followed  two  years  of  prosperity  as  a 
hunter  and  fur-trader.  In  the  summer  of  1776, 
he  was  again  captured  by  Indians,  this  time  by 
the  Shawnees;  but  being  sold  to  the  Wyandots 
he  was,  as  an  adopted  Delaware,  at  once  released 
by  his  new  owners,  and  soon  resumed  his  occu- 
pation of  hunting  and  trapping.  The  succeed- 
ing spring  (1777),  he  accompanied  a  party  of 
forest  traders  to  the  British  headquarters  in 


INTRODUCTION  11 


Detroit.  Here  he  found  employment  as  a 
trader,  his  chief  engaging  him  to  take  a  boat- 
load of  Indian  goods  to  Lower  Sandusky  —  now 
Fremont,  Sandusky  County,  Ohio. 

Upon  applying  to  Lieutenant-Governor  Henry 
Hamilton  for  a  pass,  that  officer  sought  instead 
to  engage  Leeth  as  an  interpreter  in  the  Indian 
Department,  and  to  accompany  the  savage  allies 
in  forays  against  American  borderers.  Leeth 
declining  this  service,  Hamilton  not  only  refused 
to  grant  the  requested  pass,  but  bade  the  man 
stay  in  Detroit  where  he  soon  found  himself 
under  military  surveillance.  Despite  these  irk- 
some conditions,  the  young  trader  profited  from 
his  ample  acquirements  in  Indian  linguistics, 
by  ingratiating  himself  with  the  tribesmen  who 
swarmed  into  Detroit  and  turning  a  large  share 
of  their  trade  to  the  shop  of  his  employer.  The 
account  of  his  experiences  in  Detroit  during 
this  period  is  important  historically  as  the 
apparently  trustworthy  testimony  of  an  eye- 
witness of  the  relations  between  Hamilton  and 
the  Indian  scalp-gatherers.  Leeth  tells  us  that 
Hamilton  took  "great  delight  in  the  exhibition  " 
of  the  tattered,  bruised,  and  starving  American 
pioneers,  destined  for  torture,  and  of  the  bloody 
scalps  which  their  savage  captors  brought  to  the 
door  of  the  British  chief. 

Probably  late  in  the  summer,  Leeth 
obtained  the  desired  permit  to  go  to  Sandusky. 


12  JNTXOD  UC  TION 


The  following  spring  (1778),  the  old  Delaware 
who  four  years  previous  had  adopted  him  as  a 
son,  appeared  on  the  scene  and  induced  him  to 
return  to  the  tribe,  with  whom  he  lived  for 
several  years.  Jeffries  makes  his  hero  speak  of 
this  as  captivity;  but  it  was  voluntary  on  his 
part,  in  recognition  of  his  promise.  At  first  he 
went  to  Coshocton,  a  Delaware  village  on  the 
Muskingum.  There,  early  in  March,  1779,  he 
married  Salley  Lowrey,  a  white  girl  of  some 
seventeen  or  eighteen  years,  who  had  also  been  a 
captive  among  the  Indians ;  his  age  at  the  time 
was  twenty-four.  The  young  people,  still  follow- 
ing the  fur-trade,  went  to  live  in  the  Moravian 
mission  town  of  Gnadenhiitten,  on  the  Tuscara- 
was  River,  where  many  of  the  Delawares  dwelt. 
In  September,  1781,  a  war  party  of  Indians 
and  British  made  Gnadenhiitten  their  resting- 
place  upon  an  expedition  against  the  border. 
Finding  there  evidence  that  the  Moravian 
missionaries  had  warned  the  Americans  of  their 
approach,  the  village  was  sacked.  The  mission- 
aries, together  with  Leeth  and  his  wife  and  two 
children,  were  carried  by  the  British  to  the 
Wyandot  village  of  Upper  Sandusky,  on  the 
east  branch  of  the  Sandusky.  Leeth  was  not 
allowed  to  trade  here  on  his  own  account,  but 
was  permitted  to  act  as  agent  for  a  company  of 
British  traders,  two  of  whose  members  were  his 
old  employers. 


I  NT  ROD  UCTION  \  3 


The  next  year  (1782)  was  an  eventful  one  at 
Upper  Sandusky.  Colonel  William  Crawford 
led  against  this  centre  of  British -Indian  activity 
a  column  of  nearly  five  hundred  mounted  rangers 
from  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia.  They  arrived 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  village  on  the  fourth 
of  June,  and  the  battle  of  that  day  resulted  in 
an  advantage  to  the  Americans.  But  on  the 
following  day  the  British  and  Indians  received 
reinforcements,  and  Crawford's  party  retreated 
in  confusion.  Fifty  of  the  Americans  were  lost ; 
of  those  captured  by  the  Indians,  nearly  all  met 
death  by  torture,  among  them  being  Crawford 
himself,  who  suffered  almost  unexampled  misery 
at  the  stake. 

When,  on  the  first  day,  Crawford  had  pene- 
trated to  within  fifteen  miles  of  Upper  Sandusky, 
Leeth  started  in  hot  haste  for  Lower  Sandusky 
with  the  property  of  his  employers,  some  $1,500 
worth  of  silver,  furs,  powder,  lead,  horses  and 
cattle.  Meeting  the  British  reinforcements 
coming  up  the  river,  under  Captain  Elliot  and 
Colonel  Butler,  they  appropriated  his  cattle  but 
otherwise  did  not  molest  him  and  on  the  second 
day  he  safely  reached  his  destination. 

Upon  the  conclusion  of  the  second  battle, 
during  which  he  was  closely  watched  to  prevent 
him  communicating  with  the  Americans,  the 
company  reopened  their  store  at  Upper  San- 
dusky. Here  Leeth  remained  for  some  two 


1 4  IN  TROD  UC  TION 


and  a  half  years;  and  then,  the  company  being 
dissolved,  went  with  one  of  the  factors  (appar- 
ently in  1784)  to  New  Coshocton,  a  Delaware 
town  on  the  headwaters  of  Miami  River,  three 
miles  north  of  the  present  Bellefontaine,  Logan 
County,  Ohio,  and  about  forty-five  miles  south- 
west of  Upper  Sandusky.  With  him  were  his 
wife  and  children.  He  was  present  at  the 
treaty  of  Fort  Mclntosh  (January,  1785),  near 
the  present  town  of  Beaver,  Pennsylvania,  on 
the  Ohio  River  some  thirty  miles  below  Pitts- 
burg. 

Soon  after  this  event,  having  now,  through 
the  advent  of  peace,  been  released  from  British 
surveillance,  we  find  him  engaged  in  a  fur-trade 
partnership  with  two  Pittsburg  men.  His  outfit 
was  a  considerable  one,  for  he  states  that  he 
"  started  westward,  with  thirty-four  horses, 
loaded  with  .£1484  worth  of  goods."  Setting 
up  a  trading-house  at  the  old  Tuscarawas  town 
on  the  south  side  of  the  river  of  that  name  —  not 
far  from  the  present  Bolivar,  Tuscarawas  Coun- 
ty, Ohio  —  he  had  at  the  end  of  nine  months 
' '  sold  out  nearly  all  our  goods. ' ' 

Prosperity  could  not  long  endure  with  a  forest 
trader  upon  a  frontier  so  troubled  as  Ohio  then 
was.  A  rival  establishment  existed  in  the 
neighborhood,  kept  by  one  Hamilton.  While 
the  latter  was  absent  at  Pittsburg,  Wyandot 
Indians  raided  his  store  (September  27,  1785), 


I  XT  ROD  UCTION  \  5 

killed  his  clerk  James  Chambers,  and  carried  off 
the  goods.  A  friendly  Delaware  came  at  once 
to  the  assistance  of  the  Leeths,  and  bore  them 
to  New  Coshocton,  at  the  same  time  hiding 
their  wares.  Shortly  after,  when  the  country 
had  quieted  down,  Leeth  went  out  with  horses 
from  Pittsburg  and  by  the  aid  of  friendly  Indians 
brought  in  his  goods. 

Our  hero  would  now  readily  have  abandoned 
the  fur-trade,  but  his  partners  induced  him  to 
return  to  New  Coshocton,  whither  he  and  his 
family  started  from  Pittsburg,  January  15,  1786. 
After  having  collected  fourteen  horse-loads  of 
valuable  peltries,  he  despatched  his  serving-man 
with  the  cavalcade  to  Pittsburg;  but  when  about 
two-thirds  of  the  journey  had  been  accomplished, 
the  man  was  killed  by  the  Mingoes  and  Wyan- 
dots  and  the  furs  stolen. 

Suffering  greatly  from  fear  of  a  general  Indian 
uprising,  the  Leeths  remained  at  New  Coshocton 
until  April  and  then  moved  to  Tuppakin,  the 
Indian  name  for  the  Moravian  mission  town  of 
New  Schonbrunn,  on  the  Tuscarawas,  a  mile 
and  a  quarter  south  of  the  present  New  Phila- 
delphia. Once  more  he  made  an  attempt  at  the 
fur-trade ;  but  the  troublesome  conditions  of  the 
times  caused  him  to  hide  his  goods  and  flee  the 
country,  the  hardy  little  family  having  again  to 
make  the  laborious  journey  to  Pittsburg.  As 
soon  as  practicable,  Leeth  went  out  to  Tuppakin 


16  INTRODUCTION 


and  regained  his  goods  and  furs ;  but  his  horses 
had  been  stolen,  although  he  afterwards  recov- 
ered them  in  Pittsburg.  A  little  later,  he  went 
out  to  the  Tuscarawas  and  Muskingum  country 
in  company  with  a  hunting  party  of  seventeen 
Indians.  His  goods  he  successfully  disposed  of 
for  furs,  with  which  he  returned  to  Pittsburg, 
where  he  settled  with  his  partners  and  gave 
them  the  horses.  This  completed  his  adven- 
turous and  on  the  whole  unprofitable  fur- trading 
career. 

Apparently  in  the  closing  months  of  1786, 
the  Leeths  left  Pittsburg,  and  passed  the  winter 
with  Moravian  Delawares  upon  the  Cuyahoga 
River,  in  the  present  Independence  Township, 
Cuyahoga  County,  Ohio.  The  following  May, 
they  accompanied  their  tribal  friends,  upon  the 
removal  of  the  latter,  to  the  Huron  River,  in  the 
present  town  of  Milan,  Erie  County,  where  they 
resided  until  November,  1790. 

In  July  of  that  year,  General  Josiah  Harmar 
conducted  his  mutually  disastrous  expedition 
against  the  Maumee  Indians  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  what  is  now  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana.  This 
was  followed  by  a  general  upheaval  of  the  bor- 
der, among  the  features  of  which  was  an 
attempt  on  the  part  of  the  hostiles  to  remove 
the  Moravian  converts  from  the  Huron  to  the 
head  of  the  Maumee,  that  they  might  be  the 
more  easily  drawn  upon  for  war-parties.  The 


INTRO D  UCTION  1 7 


Leeths  were  so  alarmed  over  the  state  of  affairs 
that  they  fled  to  Fort  Mclntosh  on  foot  —  a 
perilous,  miserable  journey  of  over  two  hun- 
dred miles,  made  in  seventeen  days  amidst 
bitterly  cold  weather,  and  with  no  provisions 
save  parched  corn. 

Leeth  first  settled  down  upon  a  farm  in  the 
neighborhood  of  his  wife's  people,  "  near 
Robbstown,  in  Pennsylvania,  being  free  from 
the  Indians,  and  under  American  protection." 
Five  years  later  (1795),  he  proceeded  with  his 
family  down  the  Ohio  "  in  a  boat  of  my  own 
building ; ' '  but  after  some  unfortunate  experi- 
ences on  the  Muskingum  and  above  Marietta  on 
the  Ohio,  settled  at  Bird's  Ferry.  His  wife 
dying  about  this  time,  he  was  united  (1802)  to 
a  widow  named  Sarah  McKee,  who  lived  on 
Middle  Island,  near  Marietta.  She  appears  to 
have  in  every  way  proved  a  satisfactory  spouse, 
and  the  family  prospered  financially.  Later, 
he  moved  to  Fairfield  County,  Ohio,  some  ten 
miles  out  of  Lancaster.  Here,  in  1831,  he  was 
interviewed  by  Jeffries,  and  died  a  year  later  in 
the  seventy-eighth  year  of  his  age,  possessed  of 
"  a  competency  "  which  had  made  "  his  declin- 
ing years  easy  and  respectable." 

Nearly  a  half  of  the  narrative  is  devoted  to 
an  account  of  Leeth's  religious  experiences. 
He  would  have  us  believe  that  during  his  fur- 
trading  days  he  had  been  a  scoffer ;  but  in  the 


18  INTROD  UCTION 


manner  of  converts,  he  no  doubt  unconsciously 
exaggerates  the  depravity  of  his  early  years. 
There  are  abundant  evidences  in  the  text  that 
he  was  temperate  in  his  habits,  of  a  sympathetic 
nature,  a  man  of  his  word,  and  freely  trusted 
by  his  employers  and  partners.  Converted  to 
Methodism  about  1793,  he  thereafter  seems  to 
have  taken  an  active  part  in  the  affairs  of  that 
denomination  in  the  various  communities  where 
he  was  settled.  This  portion  of  the  relation  is 
not  without  some  historical  interest,  as  exhibit- 
ing the  phraseology,  psychological  condition, 
and  methods  of  the  religious  enthusiasts  of  the 
period  when  Ohio  was  on  the  frontier  line,  and 
emotional  camp- meetings  were  an  active  agency 
in  the  spiritual  regeneration  of  the  rude  bor- 
derers. 

Leeth's  narrative  is  from  every  point  of  view 
well  worth  the  reprinting.  But  in  order  that  it 
may  be  read  understandingly,  we  have  deemed 
it  advisable  to  present  this  somewhat  protracted 
Introduction  to  serve  both  as  a  summary  and  an 
interpretation. 

REUBEN  GOLD  THWAITES. 

MADISON, Wis. ,  November  20,  1903. 


LEETH'S    NARRATIVE 

LANCASTER,  OHIO:  1831 


Reprinted  from  a  copy  of  the  original   edition 

in  the  library  of  the  Wisconsin  State 

Historical   Society 


SHORT  BIOGRAPHY 


OF 

JOHN  LJEETH, 

GIVING  A  BRIEF  ACCOUNT  OF   HIS   TRAVELS  AND   gUFFBIV 
INGS  AMONG  THE 

Indians  for  eighteen  year*. 

TOGETHER  WITH 

UI*  RELIGIOUS  EXEllCISEiS, 

fROM   HIS  OWN  RBLATIOS, 

BY   BWEL  JEFFRIES. 


LANCASTER,  OHIO. 

PRINTED  AT  THE  GAZETTE  OFFICE — MAIK  8T, 

1831. 


LEETH'  S  NA  RRA  TI VE  23 


Preface. 

THE  design  of  the  following  work  is  to 
show  the  providence  of  God,  in  guiding 
his  creatures  through  life,  although  their 
situation,  at  times,  may  be,  to  all  appearance, 
dismaying,  perilous  and  almost  insurmountable. 
Mr.  LEETH,  the  subject  of  the  following  pages, 
is  now  living,  and  has  long  been  a  respectable 
member  of  the  Methodist  Communion.  Having 
been  directed,  by  an  unseen  hand,  through  all 
the  vicissitudes  of  fortune,  from  the  savage 
haunts  of  a  boundless  wilderness,  to  the  peace- 
ful shades  of  civilized  society,  with  a  competency 
to  make  his  declining  years  easy  and  respectable, 
in  the  large  circle  of  friends  in  which  he  moves, 
he  may  truly  say,  the  Christian's  life  is  a  life  of 
pleasantness. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


LEETH'S  NARRATIVE 


Biography  of  John   Leeth. 

I  WAS  born  in  Hickory  Grove,  on  the  Pedee 
River,  South  Carolina,  on  the  i5th  day  of 
March,  1755,  of  respectable  parents,  though 
of  low  circumstances  in  the  world.  My  father 
died  before  I  was  born;  and  my  mother  died 
when  I  was  about  five  years  of  age;  after  which, 
I  was  bound  to  a  Tailor  to  learn  the  trade. 
Shortly  after  I  had  entered  into  my  new  situa- 
tion, my  master  removed  to  Charleston,  S.  C. 
and  took  me  with  him.  After  I  had  remained 
in  his  family  about  two  years,  my  mind  became 
restless ;  and  I  eloped  from  my  master  and  his 
service.  I  made  my  way  for  Little  York,  in 
Pennsylvania;  and  when  I  arrived  there,  I  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  I  was  not  properly  able  to 
take  care  of  myself,  and  bound  myself  to  a 
farmer  for  the  term  of  four  years ;  which  time 
I  served  out  with  becoming  fortitude  and 
agility.  When  my  time  of  service  was  out, 
and  I  was  free  from  my  master,  I  bent  my 
course  to  Fort  Pitt,  now  Pittsburg;  and  hired 
myself  to  an  Indian  trader.  Our  first  rout,  from 
thence,  was  to  New  Lancaster,  (then  an  Indian 


26  LEETH'S  NARRATIVE 

Town,)  in  the  State  of  Ohio;  and  after  being 
there  some  length  of  time,  in  his  employ,  hav- 
ing the  care  and  oversight  of  his  goods,  I  was 
taken  prisoner  by  the  Delaware  Indians,  in  the 
following  manner,  when  about  seventeen  years 
of  age:  —  On  the  loth  day  of  April,  1772,  when 
my  employer  had  been  from  home  two  weeks, 
I  was  lying  on  some  skins  in  my  employer's 
store;  an  Indian  boy  came  to  me,  and  told  me 
his  father  wanted  to  see  me.  I  went  with  him ; 
and  when  I  came  to  the  old  man,  he  showed  me 
a  place  to  sit  down.  I  took  my  seat  with  much 
wonder  and  surprise.  As  I  could  not  yet  un- 
derstand Indian  language,  the  old  Indian  having 
a  white  woman  for  his  wife,  made  her  inter- 
preter for  us.  He  began  with  asking  me  if  I 
had  heard  the  news  that  a  war  had  broken  out 
between  the  whites  and  Indians;  that  the  Shaw- 
nees  had  killed  seven  white  men,  and  taken 
four  prisoners;  that  the  Virginians  had  taken 
Mingo  Town,  at  Cross  Creek,  on  the  Ohio 
River.  I  answered  him,  that  I  had  heard 
nothing  of  it.  He  asked  me  what  I  thought  of 
the  matter.  With  a  trembling  heart  I  informed 
him,  I  knew  not  what  to  think  of  it;  that  I  had 
never  done  them  any  harm ;  I  had  no  hand  in 
the  matter,  and  hoped  they  would  take  care  of 
me.  He  then  told  me  to  rise  and  stand  up  on 
my  feet.  With  the  fearful  expectation  he 
intended  to  kill  me  immediately,  I  arose,  and 


LEETH'S  NARRATIVE  27 


stood  before  him.  He  then  proceeded, — ' '  Your 
mother  has  risen  from  the  dead  to  give  you 
suck ;  "  at  the  same  time  pointing  to  his  wife's 
breast;  then  laid  his  hand  on  his  own  breast, 
and  said, —  "  Your  father  has  also  risen  to  take 
care  of  you,  and  you  need  not  be  afraid,  for  I 
will  be  a  father  to  you."  He  then  embraced 
my  neck,  and  called  the  chiefs  around  him; 
when  they  proceeded  to  divide  the  store-goods, 
spirits,  and  all  that  I  had  care  of,  among  them- 
selves. 

The  same  fall,  General  Dunmore,  a  British 
officer,  came  out  against  the  Indians,  with  a 
considerable  army  of  whites ;  and  after  a  variety 
of  skirmishing  and  manoeuvreing,  a  decisive 
battle  was  fought  at  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Ken- 
hawa;  the  Indians  retreated  with  the  loss  of 
about  twenty-five ;  the  army  pursued  and  over- 
took them  while  they  were  crossing  the  river, 
and  killed  about  twenty-five  more;  after  which, 
the  Indians  returned  to  their  habitations,  and 
gave  up  the  contest  for  that  time.  Some  time 
after,  news  came  that  Dunmore  was  marching 
up  the  Hockhocking  River,  with  an  army ;  when 
some  of  the  Indians  proposed  to  kill  me,  and 
put  me  out  of  the  way ;  but  my  late  father,  (for 
he  was  a  father  to  me  indeed,)  interfered,  and 
prevented  their  horrid  intention.  They  then 
commenced  their  flight  from  the  Towns,  and 
took  me  with  them,  with  my  hands  bound  behind 


LEETH'S  NARRATIVE 


my  back;  they  took  me  a  long  and  wearisome 
journey  to  their  camp.  Before  we  arrived  at 
the  camp,  I  formed  a  firm  and  settled  resolution 
to  make  my  escape,  if  any  opportunity  should 
offer,  at  which  I  made  several  attempts;  but 
was  so  closely  watched,  that  all  possibility  of  an 
escape  was  utterly  abortive.  General  Dunmore 
marched  to  Shawnee  Town,  where  Chillicothe 
now  is,  where  he  received  a  letter  informing 
him  that  war  was  proclaimed ;  and  not  thinking 
himself  safe  in  the  situation  he  was,  in  order  to 
make  his  escape,  made  a  pretended  peace  with 
the  Indians.  After  the  cessation  of  hostilities, 
my  father  gave  me  and  his  two  sons  our  free- 
dom, with  a  rifle,  two  pounds  of  powder,  four 
pounds  of  lead,  a  blanket,  shirt,  match-coat, 
pair  of  leggings,  &c.  to  each,  as  our  freedom 
suits ;  and  told  us  to  shift  for  ourselves.  Hav- 
ing my  freedom  to  act  for  myself,  but  destined 
to  remain  in  an  uncultivated  wilderness,  where 
no  voice  was  heard  but  the  yells  of  savages,  the 
howling  of  wolves,  and  the  dread  screams  of 
the  panther;  no  cultivated  fields  or  lowing 
herds,  nor  any  prospect  for  the  support  of  life, 
but  what  the  dreary  regions  of  a  wide  and 
boundless  wilderness  presented,  was  appalling 
and  discouraging ;  and  what  added  horror  to  my 
situation  was,  it  was  death  to  make  an  attempt 
at  seeking  a  more  hospitable  and  fruitful  clime : 
However,  Providence  smiled  on  me,  and  I  made 


LEETfTS  NARRATIVE  29 

my  living  by  hunting,  and  trading  with  the 
Indians.  In  the  course  of  about  two  years,  I 
had  accumulated  a  considerable  property  in 
skins,  furs,  &c.  perhaps  to  the  amount  of  two  or 
three  hundred  dollars,  spending  my  time  mostly 
in  some  useful  employment. 

About  two  years  from  the  time  of  my  free- 
dom, about  twenty  Indians  came  from  another 
tribe;  and  while  I  was  dealing  with  a  trader 
and  his  assistant,  took  us  all  prisoners  with  all 
our  property.  They  took  me  a  considerable 
rout  through  the  wilderness;  and  after  some 
days  sold  me  to  another  nation  of  Indians.  Soon 
after  I  was  sold,  my  purchaser  informed  me  he 
did  not  buy  me  for  the  purpose  of  enslaving  me ; 
it  was  only  because  he  loved  me  and  wished  me 
to  stay  with  him ;  and  gave  me  my  liberty  on 
my  promise  not  to  leave  him.  At  that  time  I 
had  nothing  but  my  gun.  I  then  set  out  once 
more  to  shift  for  myself  in  the  woods ;  and  by 
hunting  and  trading  that  fall  and  spring,  accu- 
mulated furs  and  skins  to  the  amount  of  seventy 
or  seventy-five  dollars. 

About  this  time,  the  war  between  Great  Brit- 
ain and  America,  with  their  Indian  allies,  was 
at  its  height.  I  went  with  some  of  the  Indian 
traders  to  Detroit;  and  when  we  arrived  there, 
the  British  had  the  command  and  control  of  the 
place,  furnishing  the  Indians  with  fire-arms, 
ammunition,  the  tomahawk  and  scalping-knife, 


30  LEETH'S  NARRATIVE 


to  assist  them  against  the  whites  of  America. 
Having  by  this  time  become  perfectly  acquainted 
with  the  Indian  language,  and  inured  to  their 
habits  and  customs,  I  then  engaged  with  an 
Indian  trader,  who  was  to  pay  me  seven  pounds 
ten  shillings  per  month,  with  victuals  and  cloth- 
ing exclusively.  After  engaging  me,  my  em- 
ployer returned  to  Sandusky,  where  he  had 
been  a  considerable  time  engaged,  leaving  his 
goods  with  me  to  take  on  by  water  across  the 
Lake.  Fort  Detroit  was  then  under  martial 
law,  and  no  person  was  permitted  to  go  in  or 
out  without  a  pass  from  the  Governor  thereof. 
When  I  had  made  my  arrangements  to  start  with 
the  goods,  I  went  to  the  Governor  for  a  pass, 
informing  him  my  employer  had  left  orders 
with  me  to  follow  on  after  him,  with  the  goods. 
He  asked  where  I  wanted  to  take  them.  I  told 
him  to  Sandusky.  He  then  asked  me  what  my 
employer  gave  me  per  month.  I  told  him. 
He  said  it  was  not  enough,  and  if  I  would  join 
the  Indian  department  under  his  command,  he 
would  give  me  two  dollars  per  day,  and  one 
and  a  half  rations  exclusively.  I  then  asked 
him  what  he  wanted  me  to  do.  He  answered, 
he  wanted  me  to  interpret  for  them,  and  some- 
times go  to  war  with  them,  against  their  ene- 
mies; observing,  as  I  understood  both  languages, 
I  would  be  of  peculiar  service  to  them.  This 
so  affrighted  and  confused  me,  that  I  did  not 


LEETH'S  NARRATIVE  31 


know  what  answer  to  give  him;  but  told  him, 
as  an  excuse,  that  I  was  a  very  unhealthy, 
weakly  youth,  and  not  able  to  perform  such 
services.  He  then  requested  me  to  go  to  him 
the  next  morning,  at  nine  o'clock;  accordingly, 
I  went  at  that  hour.  He  then  enquired  if  I  had 
considered  of  the  offer  he  had  made  me  the 
evening  before.  I  told  him  I  had;  and  urged 
the  same  excuse  for  not  complying  with  it.  He 
answered, —  "  If  you  are  not  fit  for  the  service, 
you  are  not  fit  for  Sandusky;  and  you  will  stay 
where  you  are."  My  employer  had  a  partner 
in  the  Fort ;  and  I  consulted  him  on  the  matter. 
I  told  him  he  had  better  give  me  a  discharge, 
as  the  Governor  would  not  let  me  go.  He 
answered  he  would  not  discharge  me,  but  would 
wait  the  result  of  the  matter;  until  which  time, 
he  would  board  me  at  Forsyth's  Tavern;  and  if 
I  got  my  wages,  I  need  not  care  where  I  was. 
I  acquiesced  to  the  proposition,  and  went  there 
to  board.  After  some  time  elapsed,  while  in 
that  situation,  as  I  was  sitting  in  one  of  the 
lower  rooms,  lamenting  my  condition,  lest 
some  sad  misfortune  should  befall  me,  I  heard 
some  men  enter  the  house  above ;  they  enquired 
of  the  landlady  if  there  was  a  man  by  the  name 
of  Leeth,  boarding  there.  She  answered  in  the 
affirmative;  and  they  observed,  they  would  be 
glad  to  see  him.  She  came  down  and  informed 
me,  that  some  gentlemen  above  wished  to  see 


32  LEETH'S  NARRATIVE 


me;  and  requested  I  would  go  up.  I  answered 
her,  that  I  was  afraid  their  visit  portended  no 
good  to  me,  as  I  was  in  a  peculiar  situation, 
and  felt  some  fears  in  going  up.  She  informed 
me,  they  were  very  clever  gentlemen,  and  I 
need  not  fear  to  go  up;  upon  which,  I  went 
with  her  into  the  room.  On  my  arrival  in  the 
room,  they  presented  me  with  a  chair  —  I  sat 
down.  They  then,  with  the  utmost  complai- 
sance and  affability,  presented  me  with  some 
wine ;  my  mind  being  considerably  on  the  alert, 
and  not  knowing  their  intentions  towards  me, 
I  refused  to  take  any  for  some  time;  but  at 
length,  through  their  friendly  persuasions,  I 
consented,  and  took  some.  After  this  ceremony 
was  over,  they  informed  me  that  they  had  un- 
derstood the  Governor  had  refused  to  give  me 
a  pass,  and  I  was  then  detained,  though  on 
wages,  against  my  will.  I  answered  in  the 
affirmative ;  when  they  let  fall  a  volley  of  curses 
on  him,  and  advised  me  not  to  yield  to  him ; 
but  continue  in  the  Fort.  "  It  maybe,"  said 
they,  "  you  do  not  like  to  board  at  the  Tavern; 
if  not,  and  you  had  rather  be  at  a  private  house, 
preparation  shall  be  made  for  you  to  live  with 
us."  Their  complaisance  won  my  affections; 
and  I  accepted  their  offer.  They,  being  traders 
also,  employed  me  to  spy  around  the  town,  and 
when  any  Indians  brought  skins,  furs,  &c.  to 
market,  to  deal  for  them,  in  their  behalf,  as  I 


LEETH'S  NARRA  TIVE  33 

understood  the  Indian  language,  and  had  a 
better  opportunity  of  trafficking  in  that  way, 
than  themselves;  for  which,  they  gave  me  from 
two  to  five  dollars  per  day,  for  ten  weeks ;  dur- 
ing which  time,  I  was  confined  to  the  Fort. 

One  day,  while  detained  in  the  Fort,  I 
observed  some  soldiers  drawing  the  cannon  out 
of  the  Fort,  and  placing  them  on  the  bank  of 
the  River;  and  whilst  I  was  ruminating  in  my 
mind,  what  could  be  the  meaning  of  this  singu- 
lar manoeuvre,  a  young  silver-smith,  with 
whom  I  was  intimately  acquainted,  came  and 
asked  me  to  walk  with  him,  and  see  them  fire 
the  cannon.  I  walked  with  him  to  the  place 
where  they  had  carried  them.  When  we 
arrived  there,  we  found  Governor  Hamilton, 
and  several  other  British  officers,  who  were 
standing  and  sitting  around.  Immediately 
after  our  arrival  at  the  place,  the  Indians  pro- 
duced a  large  quantity  of  scalps;  the  cannon 
fired,  the  Indians  raised  a  shout,  and  the 
soldiers  waived  their  hats,  with  huzzas  and 
tremendous  shrieks,  which  lasted  some  time. 
This  ceremony  being  ended,  the  Indians  brought 
forward  a  parcel  of  American  prisoners,  as  a 
trophy  of  their  victories;  among  whom,  were 
eighteen  women  and  children,  poor  creatures, 
dreadfully  mangled  and  emaciated ;  with  their 
clothes  tattered  and  torn  to  pieces,  in  such  a 
manner  as  not  to  hide  their  nakedness;  their 


34  L EETH'S  NA  RRA  Tl  VE 


legs  bare  and  streaming  with  blood ;  the  effects 
of  being  torn  with  thorns,  briars  and  brush. 

To  see  these  poor  creatures  dragged,  like 
sheep  to  the  slaughter,  along  the  British  lines, 
caused  my  heart  to  shrink  with  throbbings,  and 
my  hair  to  rise  with  rage ;  and  if  ever  I  com- 
mitted murder  in  my  heart,  it  was  then,  for  if 
I  had  had  an  opportunity,  and  been  supported 
with  strength,  I  should  certainly  have  killed  the 
Governor,  who  seemed  to  take  great  delight  in 
the  exhibition.  My  business  hurried  me  from 
this  horrible  scene,  and  I  know  not  what  became 
of  those  poor  wretches,  who  were  the  miserable 
victims  of  savage  power. 

Every  man  in  the  Fort,  capable  of  bearing 
arms,  was  trained  twice  a  week,  while  I  re- 
mained there. —  I  was  taken  with  them  one 
evening  on  parade,  and  there  seemed  to  be  a 
kind  of  providence  in  it,  for  it  was  the  means  of 
my  not  being  draughted,  as,  on  that  day,  I  was 
taken  with  the  ague  and  fever,  and  was  not  fit 
for  service.  My  employers  were  very  kind  to 
me,  and  paid  every  attention  in  their  power. 
On  the  next  morning,  between  day-light  and 
sunrise,  the  drums  beat  to  arms,  when  my  two 
employers  rose  immediately,  dressed  them- 
selves, and  obeyed  the  call.  I,  also,  took  my 
rifle  and  followed.  One  of  them  observing  me, 
asked  me  where  I  was  going.  I  answered,  I 
supposed  I  must  go  on  parade  with  them.  They 


LEETH'S  NA  RRA  TIVE  35 


advised  me  to  go  back  and  go  to  bed,  for  there 
would  be  a  general  draught  that  day,  and  that 
1  would  be  the  first  man  draughted,  if  I  were 
found  in  the  ranks.  I  went  back  and  did  as 
they  directed  me,  and  with  fears,  and  awful 
apprehensions,  waited  their  return.  About  10 
o'clock,  they  returned,  and  said  they  had  told 
me  in  the  morning  I  would  be  the  first  man 
called  in  the  draught,  which  was  truly  the  case, 
but  said  they  answered  to  my  name,  and 
informed  the  Governor  that  I  was  lying  sick  at 
their  house ;  and  he  made  no  reply.  I  remained 
with  them  for  three  weeks  more,  under  partly 
pretended,  and  partly  real  sickness;  at  the  end 
of  which  time,  my  old  employer's  partner  came 
to  my  habitation,  and  informed  me  that  a  favor- 
able opportunity  then  offered  itself  for  me  to 
leave  the  Fort,  and  if  I  would  make  application 
to  the  Governor,  I  might  probably  get  a  pass. 
I,  accordingly,  waited  on  the  Governor,  and 
told  him  I  had  remained  a  considerable  time  in 
the  Fort,  with  my  employer's  goods,  and  should 
be  very  glad  to  have  an  opportunity  of  taking 
them  to  the  place  of  destination,  which  I  could 
not  do  without  his  signature  to  a  pass,  which 
would  permit  me  to  leave  the  Fort.  He  asked 
me  when  I  would  be  ready  to  start.  I  told  him 
if  I  could  obtain  his  permission,  I  would  be 
ready  to  start  the  next  morning.  He  then  asked 
me  if  I  would  take  some  provisions  with  me.  I 


36  LEE  TH'  S  NA  RRA  TI VE 


enquired  how  much  he  wanted  taken.  He 
answered,  four  barrels  of  flour  and  two  of  pork, 
which  he  wanted  left  on  the  way.  I  answered 
him,  my  Boat  would  be  considerably  crowded, 
but  I  could  take  that  quantity.  On  that  condi- 
tion, he  gave  me  liberty  to  go,  and  sent  his 
provisions  on  board  the  Boat  the  same  evening. 
As  I  passed  the  door,  going  out  of  his  office, 
the  guard  observed  to  me,  now  you  will  have  to 
go  to  the  Chief  Justice,  and  procure  a  certificate, 
before  your  pass  is  valid.  I  then  went  to  him, 
and  asked  him  for  a  certificate,  on  which  he 
asked  me  where  was  my  bail.  I  informed  him  I 
had  no  bail  procured,  nor  did  I  know  there  was 
any  needed  under  such  circumstances.  — Well, 
said  he,  you  cannot  go  until  you  furnish  bail, 
neither  can  I  give  you  a  certificate.  I  then 
went  to  my  employer's  partner,  and  informed 
him  that  matters  stood  worse  with  me  then  than 
ever,  for  I  could  not  get  off  without  giving  bail 
in  the  sum  of  five  hundred  pounds  sterling, 
which  I  had  no  idea  I  could  do,  and  must  still 
remain  in  the  Fort.  He  then  observed  he 
would  go  my  bail.  He  went  with  me  to  the 
Chief  Justice,  entered  bail  for  me,  and  I  obtained 
a  certificate.  Having  procured  the  proper  docu- 
ments for  my  departure,  I  set  sail  next  morn- 
ing, with  two  hands  beside  myself,  and  on  the 
third  day  arrived  at  Sandusky,  where  I  found 
my  employer  in  good  health,  anxiously  waiting 


LEE  Tff  S  NARRA  TI VE  37 


my  arrival.  I  continued  with  him,  and  in  his 
employ,  until  about  the  middle  of  October  fol- 
lowing; when,  one  morning,  he  appeared  to 
have  some  very  serious  reflections ;  and  after  a 
deep  study,  observed  to  me,  we  should  have  to 
go  to  Detroit  in  a  few  days.  I  informed  him, 
that  the  situation  of  the  place  was  about  as  it 
was  when  I  left  there,  and  I  had  had  such 
difficulties  there  before,  I  believed  I  should  not 
go  there  again,  while  the  place  was  in  that 
situation;  for  it  was  probable  I  might  again 
meet  with  the  same,  or  worse  difficulties.  He 
then  observed,  I  must  go,  or  Robins,  his  part- 
ner, would  have  to  pay  the  .£500,  for  which  he 
was  bail  for  me,  when  I  left  there.  I  had  not 
known  before,  that  an  obligation  rested  on  my 
bail  for  my  return,  or,  I  believe,  I  should  not 
have  left  there  under  such  circumstances. 
However,  I  determined  to  relieve  my  bail ;  and 
the  next  morning  we  started  for  Detroit.  When 
we  arrived  there,  I  waited  on  the  Governor, 
with  my  employer;  and  gave  up  my  pass  and 
certificate  to  him.  Now,  said  I  to  my  employer, 
you  need  not  depend  on  my  services  any  longer, 
for  I  will  never  again  plunge  myself  into  such 
difficulties,  or  attempt  to  get  another  pass,  or 
give  bail  in  this  place ;  for  I  now  feel  myself  a 
free  man,  and  will  go  where  I  please.  He  told 
me,  I  had  better  take  good  care  in  what  I  said, 
for  if  any  of  the  British  heard  me  use  such 


38  LEETH'S  NARRATIVE 


expressions,  they  would  immediately  inform 
against  me,  and  I  would  be  put  on  board  the 
guard-ship,  then  lying  at  anchor  there. 

I  continued  in  the  Fort  about  a  week  longer ; 
when,  one  morning  my  employer  asked  me, 
when  I  intended  leaving  there.  I  told  him,  I 
should  go  when  I  pleased.  He  answered,  he 
wished  to  know,  because  he  intended  to  leave 
there  the  next  morning;  and  if  I  would  meet 
him  at  Brownstown,  he  would  employ  an  Indian 
to  take  my  horse  around,  and  take  me  on  board 
his  boat;  "  for,"  said  he,  "  I  cannot  get  along 
without  you."  I  concluded  I  would  meet  him, 
and  went  there  the  same  evening;  where  I  met 
him,  and  got  on  board  his  boat;  from  whence, 
we  made  our  way  to  Sandusky ;  where  I  remained 
some  time  in  his  employ.  Whilst  remaining 
here,  a  circumstance  took  place,  which  was  in 
the  utmost  degree  appalling  to  human  nature ; 
and  raised  such  sensations  of  horror  in  my 
breast,  that  I  never  before  experienced;  and 
which,  the  reader  may  imagine,  for  I  cannot 
describe  them.  A  prisoner  was  brought  in  by 
the  Wyandotts  and  Mingoes,  to  the  store  of  my 
employer.  Before  the  store  door,  were  a  num- 
ber of  Wyandotts,  waiting  to  join  in  the  mur- 
dering of  him.  As  he  was  passing  the  house, 
they  knocked  him  down  with  tomahawks,  cut 
off  his  head,  and  fixed  it  on  a  pole,  erected  for 
the  purpose;  when  commenced  a  scene  of  yell- 


LEETH'S  NARRATIVE  39 


ing,  dancing,  singing  and  rioting,  which,  I 
suppose,  represented  something  like  demons 
from  the  infernal  regions.  After  their  fury  and 
drunken  frolick  was  abated,  we  sent  to  the 
Chief  of  the  Nation  for  liberty  to  bury  the  body ; 
and  his  answer  was,  "  They  do  not  bury  our 
dead  when  they  kill  them,  and  we  will  not  bury 
theirs:  "  on  the  return  of  which,  we  sent 
another  petition,  and  informed  him,  that  we 
would  remove  our  store  out  of  the  country,  if 
we  could  not  have  liberty  to  bury  dead  carcases 
out  of  our  sight.  He  answered  then,  that  we 
might  do  as  we  pleased  with  them:  on  which, 
we  took  the  head  down,  placed  it  to  the  body, 
as  well  as  we  could,  wrapped  them  in  a  clean 
blanket,  and  buried  him  as  decently  as  our 
situation  would  admit  of. 

vSome  time  after  this  scene,  the  Delaware 
Indian,  who  first  took  me,  came  to  Sandusky, 
on  purpose  for  me,  and  said,  I  must  go  with 
him.  I  parleyed  with  him  for  some  time,  and 
told  him  I  was  not  ready,  and  could  not  leave 
my  business;  but  through  his  insinuating  per- 
suasions, he,  at  length,  prevailed  on  me  to  go. 
I  made  ready  as  soon  as  possible,  and  accom- 
panied him  to  Coshocton,  (the  Muskingum 
River,)  where  I  remained  a  considerable  time. 

The  Spring  following,  I  was  married  to  a 
young  woman,  seventeen  or  eighteen  years  of 
age;  also  a  prisoner  to  the  Indians;  who  had 


40  LEETH'S  NARRATIVE 


been  taken  by  them  when  about  twenty  months 
old.  I  was  then  in  my  twenty-fourth  year. 
Our  place  of  residence  was  in  Moravian  Town, 
for  about  two  years;  about  which  time,  Col. 
Williams,  an  American  officer,  took  possession 
of  Coshocton ;  and  shortly  after,  the  British,  and 
their  Indian  allies,  took  Moravian  Town,  with 
me,  my  wife  and  children,  and  all  the  Mora- 
vians, prisoners;  and  carried  us  to  Sandusky. 
After  arriving  at  Sandusky,  the  British  would 
not  suffer  me  to  trade  on  my  own  footing,  and 
for  myself:  —  but  five  of  them  having  placed 
their  funds  into  one  general  stock,  employed 
me  to  attend  to  their  business  for  them ;  and, 
two  of  them  being  my  old  employers,  they  gave 
me  the  same  wages  as  heretofore.  Whilst  in 
this  employ,  Col's  Williams  and  Crawford 
marched  with  an  army,  against  Sandusky;  at 
which  time  I  was  closely  watched  by  the  In- 
dians; and  had  to  make  my  movements  with 
particular  regularity;  though  I  had  spies  going 
to  and  fro,  by  whom,  I  could  hear,  every  even- 
ing, where  the  army  was  encamped,  for  several 
days.  One  evening,  I  was  informed,  the  army 
was  only  fifteen  miles  distant;  when  I  immedi- 
ately sent  the  hands  to  gather  the  horses,  &c. 
to  take  our  goods  to  Lower  Sandusky.  I  packed 
up  the  goods,  (about  ^"1500  worth  in  silver,  furs, 
powder,  lead,  &c.)  with  such  agility,  that  by 
the  next  morning,  at  day  light,  we  started  for 


LEETH'S  NARRATIVE  41 

Lower  Sandusky.  I  also  took  all  the  cattle 
belonging  to  the  company,  along.  After  trav- 
elling about  three  miles,  I  met  Capt.  Elliot,  a 
British  officer;  and  about  twelve  miles  farther 
on,  I  met  the  whole  British  army,  composed  of 
Col.  Butler's  Rangers.  They  took  from  me  my 
cattle,  and  let  me  pass.  That  night  I  encamped 
about  fourteen  miles  above  Lower  Sandusky; 
when,  just  after  I  had  encamped,  and  put  out 
my  horses  to  graze,  there  came  to  my  camp,  a 
man,  who  was  a  French  interpreter  to  the 
Indians.  "  Well,"  said  he,  "  I  believe  I  will 
stay  with  you,  to-night,  and  take  care  of  you." 
I  told  him,  he  could  remain  there  for  the  night; 
but  I  intended  starting  early  in  the  morning. 
Next  morning,  after  we  had  got  our  horses 
loaded,  ready  to  start,  and  the  Frenchman  had 
mounted  his  horse,  we  heard  a  cannon  fire  at 
Upper  Sandusky.  The  Frenchman  clapped  his 
hand  to  his  breast,  and  said,  "  I  shall  be  there 
before  the  battle  is  begun:"  but,  alas,  poor 
fellow !  he  got  there  too  soon :  without  fear,  or 
any  thought  but  victory,  he  went  on  to  where  a 
parcel  of  Indians  were  painting  and  preparing 
for  battle,  put  on  a  ruffled  shirt,  and  painted  a 
red  spot  on  his  breast ;  saying,  ' '  Here  is  a  mark 
for  the  Virginia  riflemen ;  ' '  and  shortly  after, 
marched  with  the  Indians  to  battle;  where,  in 
a  short  time,  he  received  a  ball  in  the  very  spot, 
and  died  instantaneously.  I  arrived  at  Lower 


42  LEETH'S  NARRATIVE 

Sandusky  on  the  second  day,  and  remained 
there  three  days  to  hear  the  event.  At  length, 
the  Americans  under  Col.  Williams,  stole  a 
retreat  on  the  Indians,  who  were  gathering 
round  them  in  great  numbers;  but  Col.  Craw- 
ford, with  the  most  of  his  men,  were  taken  by 
them.  They  tomahawked  all  his  men,  and 
burnt  him  alive. 

After  the  decisive  battle,  my  employers  again 
insisted  on  my  moving  the  store  to  Upper  San- 
dusky,  which  I  did,  as  soon  as  practicable ; 
where  I  remained  about  three  years  in  their 
employment.  About  that  time,  they  dissolved 
partnership ;  when  each  man  took  his  own  share 
of  the  goods,  &c.  and  entered  into  business  for 
himself.  One  of  them  informed  me,  he  was 
going  to  establish  a  store  at  New  Coshocton,  on 
the  head  waters  of  the  Miami  River ;  and  if  I 
would  go  with  him,  he  would  give  me  the  same 
wages  as  heretofore;  upon  which,  I  agreed,  and 
went  with  him. 

Some  time  in  the  following  Fall,  the  treaty 
between  the  Americans  and  Indians,  took  place 
at  Fort  Pitt;  when  I  went  with  the  Indians  to 
the  treaty,  and  left  my  wife  and  children 
behind,  at  New  Coshocton.  After  matters  were 
settled,  and  articles  of  peace  signed,  I  joined  in 
partnership  with  two  others,  in  a  trading  asso- 
ciation ;  and  in  a  short  time,  started  westward, 
with  thirty-four  horses,  loaded  with  £1484 


LEETH'S  NARRATIVE  43 

worth  of  goods.  I  went  to  Tuscarawas,  and 
stayed  about  nine  months;  in  which  time,  I  had 
sold  out  nearly  all  our  goods.  About  three 
months  after  I  arrived  there,  Capt.  Hamilton, 
an  American  officer,  came  there  with  another 
store,  and  set  up  close  by  me ;  about  which  time, 
I  had  got  my  wife  and  children  with  me  again. 
Some  time  after,  while  Capt.  Hamilton  was 
gone  to  Fort  Pitt,  after  goods,  several  Wyandott 
Indians  came  to  his  store;  two  of  them  killed 
his  clerk,  and  bore  off  all  his  goods;  at  which, 
I  was  sorely  frighted  and  alarmed,  lest  they 
should  next  serve  me  in  the  same  way. 

While  I  was  sadly  ruminating  on  what  might 
befall  me,  a  Delaware  Indian,  (one  of  my  old 
acquaintances,)  came  to  me,  and  said,  "  John, 
I  will  stand  by  you,  and  if  you  die,  I  will  die 
by  you."  We  went  out  soon  after,  and  saw  the 
poor  fellow's  body  lying  naked  on  the  ground ; 
we  immediately  prepared,  and  started  from  that 
place,  leaving  the  naked  body  of  Hamilton's 
clerk,  lying  on  the  ground.  On  our  journey,  I 
fully  determined  to  kill  the  Indian  who  had 
tomahawked  him ;  and  thought,  when  we  got  to 
a  thicket  on  Sugar-creek  bottom,  I  would  accom- 
plish it;  but  before  we  arrived  there,  I  got  an 
opportunity  to  speak  to  my  wife ;  when,  I  told 
her,  my  design  was  to  kill  that  Indian,  and 
make  my  escape.  She  immediately  burst  into 
tears,  and  said,  "  O,  John!  would  you  use  me 


44  LEETH*  S  NA RRA  TI VE 

so?  to  kill  him,  and  make  your  escape,  leaving 
me  and  my  helpless  children  to  the  unabating 
fury  of  savage  barbarity."  This  so  affected 
me,  that  I  determined  to  stay  and  suffer  with 
her,  while  I  lived,  let  what  might,  turn  up. 
Three  days  before  this  event  took  place,  I 
dreamed  that  my  head  was  cut  off,  and  a  new 
one  put  on,  and  tied  with  a  silk  handkerchief:  — 
after  my  new  head  was  put  on,  I  thought  I 
would  bury  my  old  one,  and  dug  a  hole  under 
the  sill  of  the  storehouse;  but  when  I  got  the 
hole  dug,  I  thought  something  would  hurt  my 
head,  and  refrained.  I  made  two  more  attempts 
to  bury  it,  and  at  last  did  bury  it;  though  it 
appeared  as  if  I  could  see  the  ashes  blow  in  my 
eyes. 

We  were  then  taken  to  the  Shawnee  Towns, 
on  Mad  River;  and  while  I  was  there,  the 
Indians  hid  all  my  property  at  Tuscarawas. 
After  some  time,  I  got  a  man  to  go  with  me  to 
Fort  Pitt;  where  I  purchased  horses  to  go  in 
search  of  my  goods.  The  third  day  we  arrived 
at  Tuscarawas;  and  after  a  considerable  search, 
found  them  all.  I  carried  them  to  Fort  Pitt, 
and  returned  to  my  family:  after  staying  with 
them  some  time,  I  again  went  to  Fort  Pitt,  with 
the  intention  of  dissolving  partnership.  I 
informed  my  partners,  that  the  times  were  very 
dangerous,  and  trade  very  uncertain;  and  if 
they  were  willing,  we  would  dissolve,  and  quit 


LEETH'S  NARRATIVE  45 

business;  at  any  rate  for  the  present:  but  they 
had  just  purchased  a  large  assortment  of  goods ; 
and  told  me,  if  I  would  venture  my  body,  they 
would  the  goods.  I  then  agreed  to  set  out  once 
more. 

I  left  Fort  Pitt  about  the  15th  of  January; 
and  fixed  up  a  store,  in  the  woods,  at  Coshocton, 
at  the  mouth  of  White  woman  creek.  In  a  short 
time,  I  collected  about  fourteen  horse-loads  of 
skins  and  furs.  The  hand  I  had  with  me,  set 
out  with  them,  for  Fort  Pitt;  and  after  getting 
about  two-thirds  of  the  way,  the  Mingo  and 
Wyandott  Indians  overtook  him,  killed  him,  and 
took  the  horses,  and  all  the  loading,  off  with 
them.  I  continued  there  with  my  family,  and 
several  horses,  until  about  the  first  of  April, 
under  great  apprehensions  and  fears.  I  then 
moved  to  Tapacon,  twenty-five  miles  from  Co- 
shocton, where  I  left  my  family,  and  went  on 
horseback  to  Fort  Pitt.  I  told  my  partners,  it 
was  risking  the  property,  and  our  lives  also,  to 
continue  attempting  to  trade  in  such  perilous 
times;  and  once  more,  made  a  proposition  to 
dissolve,  and  quit,  as  the  Indians  had  taken  all 
our  profits ;  but  they  thought  I  had  better  try, 
and  stand  it  out,  until  the  goods  were  all  sold. 
I  then  returned  to  my  family;  but  just  before 
my  arrival  at  home,  two  Indians  came  to  my 
house,  and  told  my  wife,  that  we  had  better 
move  to  Fort  Pitt:  they  said  the  Mingoes  had 


46  LEETITS  NARRATIVE 

killed,  and  taken  all  the  property  of,  the  two 
traders  we  left  at  Coshocton.  I  then  left  my 
goods  and  skins  with  the  two  Indians,  and  set 
out  with  my  family,  for  Fort  Pitt;  where  we 
arrived  in  safety.  Soon  after,  I  returned  with 
five  men,  to  Tapacon;  where  I  found  my  skins, 
where  the  Indians  had  hid  them ;  but  they  had 
taken  the  goods  and  horses  with  them.  We 
took  the  skins  on  to  Fort  Pitt;  and  soon  after, 
I  set  out  for  the  Shawnee  Towns;  and  when  I 
arrived  there,  found  my  horses  and  goods. 

I  then  set  out  with  a  hunting  party,  of  seven- 
teen Indians,  to  Stillwater,  Muskingum,  Lick- 
ing, &c.  In  the  course  of  the  rout,  I  sold  my 
goods  for  peltry,  and  returned  to  Pittsburg. 
Shortly  after,  I  settled  up  with  my  partners, 
and  gave  up  the  horses.  I  then  left  there  with 
my  family,  and  settled  myself  on  Huron  River, 
in  a  Moravian  Town;  where  I  remained  some 
years.  About  that  time,  Gen.  Harmer  came 
with  an  army,  to  the  Maumee  River;  and  the 
appearance  of  things  wore  a  very  gloomy  aspect. 
I  knew  not  at  what  moment  we  might  all  be 
taken,  killed,  and  plundered;  and  yet,  not 
suffered  to  remove.  One  day,  while  I  was  pull- 
ing turnips,  something,  as  it  were,  said  to  me, 
while  I  was  stooping  down,  "  What  are  you 
doing  here?  now  is  your  time;  make  your 
escape  with  your  family."  I  raised  up  — 
thought  a  while  on  the  matter;  and  concluded 


LEE TH'S  NA RRA  TI VE  47 

it  was  all  a  notion  of  the  brain ;  and  commenced 
my  work  again ;  when  the  same  thing  rang  in 
my  mind  again :  and  after  a  considerable  reflec- 
tion, went  and  told  my  wife  of  it.  Her  reply 
was  we  shall  certainly  be  killed,  or  taken,  before 
we  can  possibly  get  through  the  wilderness. 
I  then  concluded,  with  her,  it  was  more  hazard- 
ous to  go  than  to  stay,  and  went  to  my  work 
again.  In  a  few  minutes,  the  same  reflection 
came  again,  more  impressive  than  before.  I 
went  again  to  my  wife,  and  informed  her  of  it. 
She  answered,  I  might  do  as  I  pleased.  I  then 
requested  her  secretly  to  prepare  a  good  portion 
of  parched  corn,  to  pound  it,  and  put  plenty  of 
sugar  with  it,  for  our  journey ;  and  I  employed 
myself  in  making  ready.  On  the  first  day  of 
November,  we  started  for  Fort  Pitt ;  and  on  the 
seventeenth,  in  the  evening,  we  arrived  at  Big 
Beaver  creek,  at  the  American  station,  after 
travelling  upwards  of  two  hundred  miles ;  every 
moment,  fearfully  looking  for  the  Indians  to 
overtake  us.  Such  awful  feelings  and  distress, 
I  suppose,  no  man  living,  ever  felt,  as  I  had  on 
the  way;  for,  if  we  had  been  overtaken,  we 
should  all  have  been  butchered  or  burnt  alive. 
We  remained  three  days  at  the  station;  after 
which,  we  set  out  again  for  Fort  Pitt;  where  we 
arrived  on  the  second  day.  From  thence,  we 
went  to  Bud's  Ferry;  and  there,  I  found  my 
wife's  relations,  who  received  us  with  a  cordial 


48  LEETH'S  NARRATIVE 


welcome.  We  settled  there  among  them,  and 
set  up  farming. 

I  have  now  got  through  with  a  narrative  of 
some  of  my  savage  life,  for  eighteen  years 
together,  among  the  Indians;  by  which,  the 
reader  may  imagine  the  sufferings  I  was  prone 
to,  during  that  time,  as  well  as  the  savage  dis- 
position my  mind  had  imbibed ;  where  I  could 
see  or  hear  nothing,  but  scenes  of  bloodshed 
and  carnage,  sufficient  to  strike  horror  into  any 
but  savage  hearts. 

I  will  now  give  a  short  sketch  of  the  merciful 
dealings  of  God  towards  me,  in  bringing  me  from 
the  savage  haunts  of  darkness,  into  the  king- 
dom of  his  grace,  to  lead  a  religious  life.  My 
father  was  born  in  the  city  of  Leeth,  in  Scotland, 
and  my  mother  in  Virginia,  in  the  United  States 
of  America.  They  both  belonged  to  the  Church 
of  England,  and  were  very  pious  in  their  way ; 
but  died  too  soon  to  give  any  example  to  me. 
After  leaving  my  uncle,  I  was  entirely  among 
strangers;  and  thought  or  cared  very  little 
about  religion.  When  I  was  about  sixteen 
years  of  age,  one  morning  my  mistress  sent  me 
to  the  spring  for  a  pitcher  of  water,  not  more 
than  forty  steps  from  the  door:  while  I  was  on 
the  way,  I  was  seized  with  a  trembling;  and  by 
the  time  I  returned  with  the  water,  I  shook  as 
with  an  ague.  My  master  noticing  it,  asked 
me,  what  was  the  matter.  I  told  him,  I  did  not 


LEETH'S  NARRATIVE  49 

know.  He  then  told  me  to  go  to  bed.  I  went 
upstairs,  and  lay  down ;  and  he  brought  a  glass 
of  liquor  to  me;  but  I  could  not  take  it.  I 
recollected  nothing  for  some  hours  afterwards. 
The  first  thing  I  recollected  was,  my  master 
came  to  the  bed  with  some  stewed  liquor;  but 
the  smell  was  so  disagreeable,  that  I  could  not 
bear  it,  and  I  told  him  I  could  not  take  it ;  but 
he  forced  it  on  me.  So  soon  as  I  had  swallowed 
it,  I  puked  it  up  again.  He  then  turned  from 
me,  and  said,  "  Poor  fellow;"  which  was  the 
last  thing  I  knew  for  nine  days  and  nights. 
All  this  time,  I  was  in  a  kind  of  sleep  or  stupor; 
and  the  following  scenes,  or  visions,  took  place 
in  my  mind: 

At  first,  there  was  something  resembling  a 
cart,  came  into  the  room,  and  took  me  up  the 
chimney :  I  next  found  myself  on  the  side  of  a 
steep  mountain,  which,  I  thought,  I  must  climb 
to  the  top;  which  seemed  to  be  a  great  distance. 
Sometimes,  I  would  almost  gain  the  summit; 
when,  I  would  get  on  a  rolling  stone,  which 
would  carry  me  back  to  where  I  started  from. 
I  made  several  attempts,  until  I  thought  I  had 
worn  my  arms  off  to  my  elbows,  and  my  legs  to 
my  knees;  when,  at  last,  by  a  hard  effort,  I 
gained  the  top.  When  I  got  there,  I  found  it 
the  handsomest  and  most  delightful  green  I 
ever  beheld,  and  the  most  agreeable  place,  I 
had  ever  been  in.  I  walked  along  the  green, 


50  LEETH'  S  NA  RRA  TI VE 

until  I  came  to  the  most  beautiful  stream  of 
water,  I  ever  beheld  —  so  clear,  that  I  could  see 
every  pebble  in  it,  any  way  I  looked.  I  at  length 
discovered  a  woman,  washing  at  the  brook. 
She  told  me  I  should  go  back  again:  when,  I 
told  her,  I  had  very  hard  laboring  to  get  there, 
and  I  did  not  wish  to  go  back.  Said  she,  "  You 
must  go  back,  and  bring  a  board  from  Col. 
Chambers'  saw-mill."  I  went  back;  but  while 
on  the  way,  I  concluded  Col.  Chambers'  dogs 
would  bite  me ;  and,  when  I  passed,  the  dogs 
and  all  the  family  came  after  me,  as  if  they 
would  tear  me  in  pieces ;  but  I  out-went  them 
all,  got  to  the  saw-mill,  picked  up  the  board, 
and  turned  back  again;  but  knew  not  how  to 
get  past  the  house;  for  when  I  had  the  board,  I 
knew  they  could  out-run  me,  and  I  would  be 
taken.  Sure  enough,  they  did  take  me,  carried 
me  into  the  house,  and  lifted  up  a  plank  of  the 
floor,  where  all  appeared  to  be  boiling  under- 
neath ;  which  raised  a  steam  of  wormwood  and 
all  manner  of  bitter  herbs,  with  a  very  disagree- 
able smell.  They  forced  my  head  under,  until 
I  thought  it  would  kill  me.  I  struggled,  until 
I  got  my  head  so  far  round,  that  I  could  see 
out;  when  I  perceived  they  had  locked  the 
door,  which  was  made  of  stone,  with  iron 
hinges.  I  continued  in  that  situation  for  a 
length  of  time,  struggling  for  life  in  the  most 
excruciating  torture ;  but  finally,  I  succeeded  in 


LEETH'S  NARRA  TIVE  51 

getting  away  from  them :  the  door  flew  open, 
and  I  ran  with  all  the  speed  I  had,  and  they 
pursued  me  along  a  level  road,  until  I  came 
near  the  mill-pond.  Here  the  road  forked ;  one 
to  the  left,  and  the  other  to  the  right.  I  pon- 
dered in  my  mind,  which  to  take ;  but  at  length, 
took  to  the  right.  I  had  not  gone  far,  when  I 
beheld  a  man  coming  meeting  me,  riding  a 
white  horse;  when  my  fears  ceased,  and  my 
mind  became  calm.  When  we  met,  he  said, 
"  You  have*  got  away,  have  you?  I  was  just 
coming  to  help  you."  He  then  took  me  with 
him,  to  a  new  house ;  and  we  both  went  up  the 
first  stairs,  where  I  found  it  a  delightful  place. 
He  then  conducted  me  up  to  a  second  floor,  and 
from  that  to  a  third,  which  was  filled  with  the 
sweetest  odours  I  ever  smelt.  Said  he,  "  Now 
you  must  stay  here,  for  if  you  go  back,  you  will 
be  abused;  but  I  will  take  care  of  you  here." 
While  he  was  talking  to  me,  I  heard  a  woman 
say,  "  Do  you  think  he  will  live  till  night?" 
At  that  juncture  of  time,  I  came  to  myself, 
after  remaining  in  that  situation  nine  days  and 
nights,  without  knowing  any  thing  that  passed 
around  me.  After  that  time,  I  recovered  as 
fast  as  health  could  be  restored;  and  while  con- 
valescent, began  to  reflect  very  seriously.  I 
thought,  if  I  had  died  in  that  situation,  I  should 
have  gone  to  Hell  without  doubt;  but  then,  I 
felt  sure  I  would  get  well.  However,  I  then 


52  LEETH'S  NARRATIVE 

resolved  to  alter  my  life,  and  live  better  than  I 
had  done ;  but,  having  no  views  but  in  my  own 
strength,  alas!  I  fell  short,  and  the  depravity 
of  my  heart  led  me  away  from  God;  for, 
through  all  my  savage  life,  at  times,  I  had  seri- 
ous reflections  about  a  future  state,  and,  some- 
times, had  thoughts  about  dying,  which  gave 
me  much  uneasiness;  but,  being  without  the 
Bible,  or  any  religious  instruction,  I  passed  the 
time  without  a  knowledge  of  any  improvement. 
After  I  had  settled  myself  near  Robbstown,  in 
Pennsylvania,  being  free  from  the  Indians,  and 
under  American  protection,  I  conceived,  that  if 
I  joined  myself  to  some  professed  body  of  Chris- 
tians, that  I  should  be  saved:  therefore,  I  went 
to  hear  one  preacher;  but  could  not  feel  satis- 
fied to  join  them.  The  next  I  went  to  hear, 
pleased  me  well,  and  I  joined  the  church  to 
which  he  belonged,  and  paid  yearly  to  their 
minister  for  a  considerable  time ;  but,  on  hear- 
ing him  advance  something  I  did  not  like,  I 
concluded  I  would  leave  the  church,  which  I 
did  shortly  after ;  but  still  continued  in  doubts 
and  fears.  Some  months  after  I  had  left  that 
church,  as  I  was  on  my  way  from  mill,  a  woman 
of  my  acquaintance,  told  me,  she  wished  me  to 
go  with  her  to  meeting;  when,  I  asked  her  who 
was  to  preach:  she  answered,  a  Methodist 
preacher.  I  said,  I  should  not  go;  but  she 
insisted  I  should.  I  answered  her,  that  I  had 


LEETffS  NARRATIVE  53 

understood  they  were  bad  people,  and  from 
their  behaviour  I  considered  them  devils,  and  I 
would  not  go  near  them ;  when  I  left  her,  and 
went  on  my  way  home.  Two  weeks  from  that 
day,  on  my  way  from  mill  again,  she  invited 
me  into  dinner,  as,  she  said,  it  was  just  ready. 
I  went  in,  and  sat  down  to  the  table.  While  at 
the  table,  she  said  to  me,  "  John,  you  must  go 
with  me  to  meeting,  this  day."  I  asked  her 
again,  who  was  to  preach,  when  her  husband 
named  Samuel  Hitt.  I  enquired  what  denomi- 
nation he  belonged  to ;  and  he  answered  he  was 
a  Methodist.  I  said,  I  should  not  go  one  yard. 
He  answered,  "  If  you  do  not  go  with  me,  you 
will  hurt  my  feelings  very  much."  He  being 
a  good  neighbor,  with  whom  I  was  on  very 
intimate  terms,  I  concluded  I  would  go,  rather 
than  offend  him.  I  at  length  agreed  to  go.  On 
the  way,  I  concluded  I  would  watch  closely  for 
something  to  condemn  them,  and  make  sport 
of;  for  my  heart  was  desperately  wicked  and 
contaminated;  not  knowing  I  must  be  born 
again  before  I  could  see  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
When  we  arrived  at  the  house,  meeting  had 
begun.  They  were  singing;  and  when  done, 
they  all  knelt  down,  and  the  preacher  began  to 
pray :  while  he  was  praying,  I  thought  —  How 
under  the  heavens  can  that  man,  who  is  such  a 
bad  man,  pray  in  that  manner.  He  arose,  and 
took  for  his  text  the  whole  of  the  third  chapter 


54  LEETH'S  NARRATIVE 

of  Malachi,  commencing,  "  Behold,  I  will  send 
my  messenger,  and  he  shall  prepare  a  way 
before  me, ' '  &c.  I  paid  great  attention  —  staring 
him  in  the  face,  expecting  him  to  advance  some- 
thing for  me  to  lay  hold  on ;  but  it  was  not  long 
before  his  words  began  to  find  their  way  to  my 
heart ;  and  while  he  was  preaching,  I  concluded 
some  person  had  told  him  my  case;  for  he 
seemed  to  direct  his  whole  discourse  to  me,  and 
pointed  out  what  a  poor,  miserable,  undone 
sinner  I  was.  After  sermon,  he  told  the  class 
to  stay  in  for  class-meeting,  with  all  those  who 
felt  a  desire  to  stay  in,  and  dismissed  the  con- 
gregation. I  went  out  with  the  crowd,  and  left 
six  or  eight  in  the  house.  When  we  were  all 
out,  they  shut  the  door.  Now,  thinks  I,  there 
is  where  they  carry  on  their  devilment,  and  I 
will  immediately  go  home;  which  I  did.  A 
few  days  after,  a  man,  by  the  name  of  Martin, 
came  to  the  field,  where  I  was  at  work:  after 
the  common  civilities  of  meeting,  were  over,  I 
observed,  "  Mr.  Martin,  I  have  been  to  hear  a 
Methodist  preacher:"  when,  he  enquired, 
"How  did  you  like  him?"  I  answered,  the 
man  prayed  very  well,  and  preached  the  best  I 
ever  heard,  or,  rather  guessed  at  matters,  for  he 
told  me  things  which  I  had  never  disclosed ;  his 
words,  however,  seemed  to  come  with  power  to 
my  heart ;  but,  afterwards,  I  went  out  with  the 
crowd  of  people ;  they  shut  the  door,  for  some 


LEETH' S  NA  RRA  TI VE  55 

kind  of  private  meeting;  and,  I  supposed,  they 
entered  into  all  kinds  of  mischief  and  bad 
works.  He  then  asked  me,  when  they  would 
be  there  again.  I  told  him,  that  day  two- 
weeks;  when,  he  answered,  "  If  you  will  go 
again,  I  will  go  with  you."  I  answered  him, 
"  If  you  will  come  to  my  house,  on  the  morning 
of  that  day,  I  will  go  with  you."  He  came 
according  to  appointment ;  and  on  our  way  to 
meeting,  he  observed,  "  I  wonder  if  they  will 
turn  us  out  again?"  I  answered,  I  did  not 
know.  "  Well,"  said  he,  "if  they  do  not  turn 
us  out,  we  will  not  go  out:"  upon  which  we 
firmly  agreed  to  stay  in  on  that  day.  He 
preached  his  farewell  sermon ;  and  a  great  ser- 
mon I  thought  it  was  too.  When  sermon  was 
over,  he  dismissed  the  congregation,  and  we 
both  went  out  with  the  crowd,  forgetting  our 
mutual  promise,  to  stay  in;  and  immediately 
set  out  for  home.  After  conference  was  over, 
there  came  two  preachers  on  that  circuit;  one, 
by  the  name  of  Watson ;  and  the  other,  by  the 
name  of  Ferguson :  and  when  I  heard  Watson 
was  to  preach,  I  gave  Martin  notice  thereof; 
and  we  went  to  hear  him.  On  our  way,  we 
again  solemnly  agreed  to  stay  in  with  the  class. 
He  preached  a  great  sermon,  according  to  my 
idea;  for  he  again  told  me  of  all  the  evils  in  my 
heart;  together  with  the  many  promises  I  had 
made,  to  become  religious;  which  caused  me  to 


56  LEETH'S  NARRATIVE 

wonder  very  much  thereat ;  knowing  he  could 
not  possibly  have  heard  any  thing  of  my  case 
personally;  but,  when  sermon  was  over,  we 
went  out  again,  awfully  fearing  to  stay;  and 
went  on  our  way  home.  Two  weeks  after  that, 
Ferguson  preached,  when,  we  went  again:  as 
we  were  going  to  the  meeting,  "  Now,"  said 
Martin  to  me,  "  why  do  you  go  out  of  the  house 
every  time?  I  would  stay  in;  but  when  I  see 
you  rise  to  go  out,  I  always  follow  you."  We 
then  made  a  firm  resolution  again,  to  stay  in 
that  day.  However,  he  said  I  was  the  oldest 
man,  and  he  would  be  guided  by  me,  as  he  only 
went  with  me  for  company:  when,  I  told  him 
that  that  time  I  would  certainly  stay  in  with 
him.  When  we  got  to  meeting,  it  appeared, 
that  Ferguson  had  been  sent  to  another  circuit ; 
and  one  Philips  came  in  his  place.  He  preached 
a  very  affecting  sermon ;  after  which,  I  arose  and 
went  out,  and  Martin  followed  me ;  and  we  went 
on  home  the  third  time  with  broken  promises. 
At  Mr.  Watson's  next  appointment,  we  went 
again;  and  on  the  way  again  made  a  firm  and 
pointed  promise  to  stay  in  class.  Under  preach- 
ing, that  day,  I  was  more  affected  than  I  had 
ever  been  before ;  though  much  alarmed  when 
I  heard  Mr.  Hitt  preach  the  first  time.  After 
preaching,  I  went  out  again,  walked  across  the 
road,  and  leaned  against  a  fence,  entertaining 
awful  apprehensions  relative  to  a  future  state. 


LEETfT  S  NA RRA  TI VE  57 

After  some  time,  I  turned  around,  and  saw  sev- 
eral persons  standing  at  the  door  listening; 
when,  I  concluded  I  would  go  and  hear  too  — 
perhaps  there  might  be  some  good  news  for  me : 
but  when  I  got  there,  I  found  they  were  laugh- 
ing, and  making  sport  of  what  was  going  on  in 
the  house.  It  struck  me  like  lightning  —  "  My 
God,  shall  I  be  numbered  with  these !  ' '  upon 
which,  I  went  to  Martin,  and  told  him,  I  should 
go  home.  He  answered,  "  I  will  go  with  you." 
We  started,  and  had  travelled  but  a  little  way, 
when  he  tapped  me  on  the  shoulder,  and  said, 
"  Stop;  what  are  we  going  home  for?"  I  told 
him  I  would  never  be  found  with  the  mockers 
and  game-makers.  Upon  which,  he  proposed 
going  back,  and  said,  "  You  open  the  door,  and 
I  will  go  in  with  you."  I  observed,  perhaps 
they  would  not  let  us  go  in.  He  said,  we  would 
make  the  trial  at  all  events:  so  we  pushed 
through  the  crowd  to  the  door;  I  raised  the 
latch,  and  we  went  in  and  seated  ourselves. 
Soon  after  we  were  in,  Mr.  Watson  came  to  me, 
and  spoke  with  a  feeling,  which  had  great 
weight  on  my  mind.  Said  he,  "  I  see  you  are 
much  affected;  do  you  wish  to  join  with  us?" 
I  told  him,  I  desired  to  be  in  the  right  way,  that 
leads  to  everlasting  rest:  and,  after  advising, 
and  trying  to  comfort  me,  he  spoke  to  Martin 
also;  who  told  him,  he  wished  to  join  the  class. 
Every  word  he  spoke,  representing  Jesus  Christ 


58  LEETH'S  NARRATIVE 

as  the  Saviour,  seemed  to  sink  deep  on  my 
heart,  and  my  convictions  became  almost  intol- 
erable; under  which,  it  seemed  as  if  I  was 
unable  to  bear  up.  After  meeting  was  over, 
Martin  and  myself  started  home.  On  our  way, 
I  observed  to  Martin,  "  Now,  we  have  joined 
with  a  people,  who  are  persecuted  and  scorned 
above  all  others,  and  we  must  keep  it  a  secret;  " 
for,  at  that  time,  I  would  not  have  had  the 
matter  known,  publicly,  for  the  world.  My 
convictions  now  grew  worse,  and  appeared  more 
awful  than  ever ;  the  reflections  passing  through 
my  mind,  that  I  had  now  made  profession  of 
religion,  and  if  I  should  be  wrong,  my  situation 
was  worse  than  before,  not  yet  being  enabled 
to  set  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  trust 
my  all  to  him. 

I  then  betook  myself  to  private  prayer,  at 
fixed  places  and  times,  (not  believing  my  heart 
was  constantly  engaged.)  Afterwards,  I  took 
up  family  prayer;  but  still  thought  I  would  get 
religion  without  letting  the  world  know  it,  but 
did  not  know  how  to  proceed ;  still  thinking  I 
had  something  peculiar  to  do,  but  did  not  know 
which  way  to  begin  that  work.  I  obtained  the 
Presbyterian  Confession  of  Faith,  thinking  that 
would  give  me  some  satisfaction;  but  on 
perusal  thereof,  I  could  receive  no  particular 
encouragement  to  a  desponding  mind.  I  then 
heard  of  a  Methodist  Discipline,  which  I  bor- 


LEETH'S  NARRATIVE  59 

rowed.  I  read  it  through,  and  it  seemed  to 
give  greater  encouragement  to  those  in  my 
situation:  therefore,  I  concluded,  that  perhaps 
the  Lord  would  reach  his  sovereign  mercy  to 
me,  though  I  had  been  a  great  sinner;  and  con- 
tented myself  to  stay  with  them,  though  I  still 
continued  to  doubt  and  fear,  lest  I  was  still 
wrong,  and  the  Lord  would  not  extend  his  mer- 
cies to  me;  for,  by  this  time,  I  was  perfectly 
convinced,  that  except  a  man  be  born  again,  he 
cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  heaven;  and,  having 
tried  all  means  in  my  power,  to  initiate  myself 
into  his  favor,  in  my  own  strength,  which  all 
failed;  I,  therefore,  came  to  the  conclusion, 
that,  if  the  Lord  saw  cause  to  save  me,  it  was 
his  mercy ;  and  if  not,  my  sins  had  already  con- 
demned me ;  and  I  must  say  the  condemnation 
was  just:  but,  my  continued  prayers  were  now 
for  mercy,  to  a  poor,  miserable  sinner. 

Whilst  I  was  at  work  in  the  cornfield,  one 
day,  when  the  corn  was  about  head  high,  such 
awful  feelings,  with  a  darkness,  came  over  me, 
that  I  knew  not  what  to  do.  I  at  length  fell  on 
my  knees,  and  prayed  to  God  Almighty,  to  show 
me  the  right  way,  and  put  me  in  it;  for  I  was 
a  poor,  miserable  creature,  and  without  his 
almighty  aid,  must  be  damned  forever.  When 
I  arose  from  my  knees,  I  felt  a  gleam  of  hope  ; 
but  it  soon  vanished  into  doubts  and  fears,  lest 
it  should  be  resting  on  a  sandy  foundation.  The 


60  LEETH'S  NARRATIVE 

next  meeting,  Mr.  Philips'  discourse  took  a  deep 
hold  on  me;  and  after  he  commenced  class- 
meeting,  came  to  me ;  but  I  was  so  absorbed  in 
thought,  that  I  had  lost  my  speech;  for  I  was 
sure  I  should  die,  and  go  to  hell.  It  appeared 
as  if  my  ribs  were  leaving  my  back-bone,  and 
expected  in  a  few,  minutes  to  know  my  eternal 
fate.  When  he  spoke  to  me,  I  roared  out  as 
loud  as  I  could  halloo,  and  down  I  fell  prostrate 
on  the  floor.  He  called  on  a  brother  and  sister 
to  go  to  prayer,  while  he  stood  by  me ;  and, 
when  they  were  down,  prayed  with  great  power; 
and  I  thought  all  in  the  house  poured  out  their 
prayers  to  God,  on  my  behalf. 

Whilst  this  scene  was  in  operation,  it  appeared 
as  if  my  load  of  guilt  left  me,  and  my  heart 
felt  light,  being  much  comforted  with  the  pre- 
cious promises  of  mercy,  held  forth  in  the  Gos- 
pel. Now,  methought,  that  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ,  which  was  shed  on  Calvary,  had  made 
a  complete  atonement  for  my  sins,  and  that 
God,  through  that  mediation,  could  look  on  me 
with  the  same  love  and  complacency,  as  though 
I  had  never  committed  a  sin  in  my  life ;  and, 
for  his  merits  alone,  I  stood  completely  justified 
before  God ;  which  gave  me  such  a  transport  of 
joy,  that  the  reader  must  imagine,  for  I  cannot 
describe  it.  Every  thing  seemed  to  wear  a  new 
appearance  to  me,  and  I  could  truly  say,  that 
though,  I  thought  God  was  angry  with  me,  that 


LEETH'S  NARRATIVE  61 

his  anger  was  now  turned  away,  and  he  did 
comfort  me.  I  then  rose  up  to  tell  what  the 
Lord  had  done  for  my  poor  soul,  and  concluded, 
my  days  of  trouble  were  all  over,  for  I  should 
not  doubt  or  fear  any  more,  after  so  glorious  an 
evidence  from  my  heavenly  Father.  But,  alas! 
to  my  sorrow,  I  have  had  many  trials,  doubts, 
tribulations,  and  conflicts  of  every  nature,  to 
combat  with,  since.  At  that  time,  I  concluded 
I  would  not  let  the  world  know  my  situation, 
on  any  account,  for,  such  dreadful  persecutions 
then  raged  in  the  land,  that  I  was  afraid,  if  I 
came  out  with  an  open  profession,  that  it  would 
injure  my  situation,  as  a  citizen ;  —  so  far  did 
my  wicked  heart  of  flesh  lead  me  astray,  from 
the  paths  of  rectitude;  but,  blessed  be  God!  his 
will  shall  be  accomplished,  and  his  purposes 
performed;  for  it  is  he  that  strengthens  his 
children  to  fortify  themselves  against  opposi- 
tion, and  leads  them  in  paths  they  have  not 
known,  makes  crooked  things  straight,  and  will 
not  forsake  them.  I  must  now  stop  a  while  to 
compare  the  contrast  between  that  day  and  this ; 
and  am  sometimes  lost  in  wonder,  when  the 
Christian  complains  of  a  hard  heart,  and  many 
deceivers  who  have  crept  in  among  us,  together 
with  all  the  insinuating  stratagems  of  Satan,  to 
lead  him  astray ;  that  he  cannot  direct  his  views 
towards  the  Author  of  his  salvation  and  hope. 
When  we  are  now,  through  the  providence  of 


62  LEETH' S  NA  RRA  TI VE 

Almighty  God,  placed  in  a  land  of  liberty, 
where  every  child  of  God  may  worship  him  in 
that  way  the  spirit  dictates,  without  any  to 
make  him  afraid;  where  he  may  call  together 
his  family  and  neighbors,  to  join  in  worship  — 
and  the  Christian's  life,  or,  rather,  the  professor's 
life,  has  become  honorable  in  the  world,  which 
seems  to  receive  applause.  But  not  the  case 
then;  for  they  were  persecuted  for  religion's 
sake  alone.  The  soul  had  to  fight,  and  bear  up, 
under  persecutions  and  privations,  which  are 
not  known  now;  which  has  often  comforted  me, 
for,  it  seemed,  as  if  a  purification  by  fire,  of 
persecution ;  and,  I  have  often  thought,  if  the 
same  persecution  now  existed,  that  the  real 
children  of  God  would  be  more  generally  known 
to  each  other.  The  recollection  of  those  times, 
I  am  apprehensive,  will  never  be  erased  from 
my  mind. 

In  the  year  1795,  about  two  years  after  my 
conversion,  I  moved,  with  my  family  to  the 
Ohio  River,  in  a  boat  of  my  own  building,  and 
landed  at  Marietta;  there  I  sold  my  boat,  and 
bought  a  large  canoe.  I  left  part  of  my  goods 
at  Marietta,  and  pushed  my  canoe  up  the  Mus- 
kingum  River,  to  the  mouth  of  Meig's  Creek ; 
where  my  canoe  sunk,  and  I  lost  all  I  had  on  it. 
I  stayed  there  ten  days,  trying  to  get  my  goods 
and  money  out  of  the  river;  during  which  time, 
myself  and  family  subsisted  on  such  game  as 


LEETH'S  NARRATIVE  63 

I  could  procure  from  the  woods;  but  I  never 
found  any  thing  but  the  canoe.  I  then  returned 
to  Marietta,  where  we  arrived  on  Sunday  morn- 
ing; and  found  the  inhabitants  playing  cards, 
and  shooting  at  mark,  with  other  species  of 
gambling.  While  we  remained  at  Marietta  it 
took  the  chief  part  of  my  goods  left,  for  our 
support;  except  about  one  thousand  pounds 
of  castings,  which  I  let  remain  there.  I  also 
sold  my  cattle,  on  the  proceeds  of  which,  we 
lived,  after  the  goods,  stored  there,  were  chiefly 
expended.  After  some  considerable  stay,  we 
set  out  for  the  place,  from  which  we  started. 
Myself,  wife,  and  two  children,  went  on  board 
the  canoe,  and  we  rowed  up  the  Ohio,  as  far  as 
the  Tough  Reach,  when  we  halted  at  one 
Samuel  Wilson's,  who  persuaded  us  to  settle  in 
that  neighborhood,  on  Congress  land,  which 
was  then  unoccupied.  I  concluded  to  do  so ;  and 
that  Fall,  cleared  about  three  acres;  during 
which  time,  I  had  to  live  on  bread  and  water; 
after  being  forced  to  part  with  my  gun,  for 
bread ;  which  had,  many  times,  been  my  chief 
dependence  for  the  support  of  life.  I  was  con- 
strained then,  to  borrow  a  gun  from  one  of  my 
neighbors,  wherewith  to  procure  game  for  my- 
self and  family  to  subsist  on.  But,  glory  be  to 
God!  in  these  sad  extremities,  when  even 
starvation  seemed  to  stare  me  in  the  face,  with 
that  of  my  family  also,  which  was  dearer  to  me 


64  LEETH'S  NARRATIVE 

than  life  itself,  he  did  not  forsake  me ;  but  gave 
such  comforting  effusions  of  his  love,  into  my 
soul,  that  enabled  me  to  rejoice  in  the  anticipa- 
tion of  that  blessed  day,  when  he  will  make  up 
his  jewels;  and  enabled  me  to  set  faith  in  him; 
without  which,  I  must  have  sunk  beneath  the 
terrible  obstructions  which  seemed  to  oppose  my 
way.  And,  blessed  be  His  name !  he  enabled 
me  to  contend  earnestly,  for  the  faith  once 
delivered  to  the  saints,  through  all  the  perils 
which  opposition  seemed  to  present,  and  enabled 
me  to  trust  in  him,  for  all  things.  At  length, 
through  the  smiles  of  Providence,  I  got  into  a 
situation  to  live  reasonably  well ;  and  continued 
in  that  place  for  five  years;  in  which  time,  I 
accumulated  sufficient  funds  to  purchase  a 
small  piece  of  land  on  Middle  Island. 

Two  years  before  I  left  that  place,  for  Middle 
Island,  my  poor  wife  (who  had  been  deranged 
for  several  years,  which  was  occasioned  by  the 
falling  sickness,)  left  the  world,  and  me  to 
lament  her  loss.  She  went  off  without  a  groan, 
as  one  entering  into  a  sound  sleep.  Then  a 
scene  of  severe  troubles  and  trials,  presented 
themselves  to  my  view.  One  of  my  children 
had  become  of  age,  and  left  me;  and  I  had 
bound  another  to  a  trade;  in  consequence  of 
which,  I  was  then  left  alone;  and  what  to  do  I 
did  not  know ;  but  still  placed  my  confidence  on 
Him,  who,  I  was  enabled  to  believe,  cared  forme. 


LEETH'S  NARRATIVE  65 

My  situation  then  became  such,  that  my 
neighbors  persuaded  me,  it  would  be  best  for 
me  to  marry  again ;  and  after  a  mature  delibera- 
tion, and  many  prayers  to  God,  on  the  subject, 
I  at  length  was  married  a  second  time,  to  a 
widow,  by  the  name  of  Sarah  M'Kee,  in  the 
year  1802.  She  was  a  woman,  who  was,  at  that 
time,  destitute  of  religion,  but  of  good  morals. 
The  next  Spring,  I  heard  there  was  to  be 
preaching  at  Marietta,  by  the  Methodists;  and 
myself,  with  two  others,  set  out  to  go  there, 
which  was  about  twenty-five  miles  distant. 
When  we  arrived  there,  we  found  a  Mr.  Steel, 
who  was  a  preacher ;  and,  after  the  duties  of  the 
appointment  were  over,  I  invited  him  to  preach 
at  my  house.  He  made  an  appointment  there, 
and  attended  the  same;  which  was  the  first 
preaching  I  had  heard  since  I  had  left  the  place, 
where  I  had  joined  them.  After  that,  there 
were  regular  appointments  there,  so  long  as  I 
stayed;  which  was  the  first  established  preach- 
ing in  all  that  section  of  country.  While  I 
remained  there,  we  had  a  quarterly  meeting ; 
which  was  the  most  gratifying  to  me,  that  I 
ever  witnessed.  The  work  of  the  Lord  mani- 
fested itself  in  quickening  a  number  of  dead 
souls,  who  were,  I  trust,  afterwards,  truly  con- 
verted to  God.  Among  the  rest,  was  my  wife, 
who  dated  her  convictions  from  that  time ;  and 
shortly  afterwards,  professed  to  have  received 


66  LEETH'S  NARRATIVE 

a  change  of  heart;  placing  all  her  hope  and 
trust  on  the  merits  of  a  crucified  Jesus:  and, 
blessed  be  God!  I  was  no  longer  left  alone,  in 
my  feeble  efforts,  to  grapple  with  oppositions ; 
but,  have  since  found  her  an  active  partner,  in 
pressing  forward  to  the  mark  for  the  prize  of 
the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus. 

Shortly  after,  I  moved  to  Middle  Island,  only 
five  miles  distant;  and  there,  it  pleased  God  to 
bless  me,  not  only  with  spiritual  things,  but  in 
basket  and  store  also.  I  remained  on  the  island 
five  years;  when,  I  sold  my  property,  and  moved 
to  Wills'  Creek,  in  Guernsey  county;  where  I 
stayed  from  April  to  August;  at  which  time,  I 
purchased  a  piece  of  land,  in  Fairfield  county, 
Ohio,  ten  miles  from  Lancaster;  where,  I  have 
now  lived  for  fifteen  years.  And  I  praise  God, 
that  I  am  yet  a  soldier  of  the  cross ;  for  He  has 
given  me  grace  to  support  me  through  many 
trials  and  difficulties ;  and  many  have  been  the 
combats  with  the  enemy,  which  he  has  brought 
me  through,  and  is  still  my  shield  and  buckler; 
for  I  cannot  find  any  other  pool,  where  living 
waters  flow. 

I  am  now  in  my  77th  year;  and  anticipate, 
that  a  few  more  rough  storms  and  beating  tem- 
pests will  land  my  little  bark  on  the  other  side 
of  Jordan,  where  trials,  tempests,  storms,  sor- 
rows, sin,  or  afflictions  cannot  reach  me.  I 
must  say,  I  have  experienced  some  joyful 


LEETH'S  NA  RRA  TI VE  67 

seasons ;  and  it  lifts  my  soul  into  ecstacies,  and 
warms  my  heart  with  love,  when  I  contemplate 
that  the  time  is  near  at  hand,  when  I  shall  leave 
this  poor  polluted,  sinful  and  worn  out  body, 
and  gain  that  land  of  rest  and  delight,  which  is 
prepared  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  for  all  those 
that  love  him.  And  may  the  God  of  all  grace, 
give  me  grace  to  support  me,  and  lead  me  in  his 
ways,  to  the  honor  and  glory  of  his  name,  and 
reconcile  me  to  all  his  dispensations,  until  that 
time  shall  arrive,  is  the  prayer  of  poor,  unworthy 

JOHN   LEETH. 


INDEX 


BIG  BEAVER  Creek,  47. 
Big  Kenhawa,  27. 
Brownstown,  38. 
Bud's  Ferry,  47. 
Butler,  Colonel,  his  Rangers, 
41. 

CHAMBERS,  Colonel,   his  saw- 
mill, 50. 

Charleston,  S.  C.,  25. 

Chillicothe  —  see  Shawnee 
Town. 

Coshocton,  39,  45,  46. 

Crawford,    Col.    William,    40, 
42. 

Cross  Creek,  26. 

DELAWARE  INDIANS,  26,  39,  43. 
Detroit,  29,  37. 
Detroit,  Fort,  30. 
Dunmore,  General,  27,  28. 

ELLIOT,  Captain,  41. 

FAIRFIELD  COUNTY,  Ohio,  66. 
Ferguson,  Reverend,  55,  56. 
Forsyth's  Tavern,  31. 
Fort  Pitt  —  see  Pittsburg. 

GUERNSEY  COUNTY,  Ohio,  66. 


HAMILTON,  Captain,  43. 
Hamilton,  Gov.  Henry,  33. 
Harmer,  Gen.  Josiah,  46. 
Hickory  Grove,  S.  C.,  25. 
Hitt,  Samuel,  53,  56. 
Hockhocking  River,  27. 
Huron  River,  46. 

LANCASTER,  Ohio,  66. 
Leeth,  John,  31. 
Leeth,  Scotland,  48. 
Licking,  46. 
Little  York,  Pa.,  25. 
Lower  Sandusky,  40,  41. 

MAD  RIVER,  44. 
Marietta,  Ohio,  62,  63,  65. 

Martin, ,  54,  56,  57,  58. 

Maumee  River,  46. 
McKee,  Sarah,  65. 
Meigs  Creek,  62. 
Miami  River,  42. 
Middle  Island,  Ohio,  64,  66. 
Mingo  Indians,  38,  45. 
Mingo  Town,  26. 
Moravian  Town,  40. 
Muskingum,  46. 
Muskingum  River,  39,  62. 

NEW  COSHOCTON,  42. 


70 


INDEX 


New  Lancaster,  Ohio.  25. 
OHIO  RIVER,  62,  63. 

PEDEE  RIVER,  S.  C.,  25. 
Philips,  Reverend,  56,  60. 
Pittsburg,  25,   42-47. 

ROBBSTOWN,  Pa.,  52. 
Robins,  ,  37. 

SANDUSKY,  30,   31,  36,  38,  39, 

40. 

Shawnee  Indians,  26. 
Shawnee  Town,  28. 
Shawnee  towns,  on  Mad  River, 

44,  46. 


Steel,  Reverend,  65. 
Stillwater,  46. 
Sugar-creek  bottom,  43  . 

TAPACON,  45,  46. 
Tough  Reach,  Ohio,  63. 
Tuscarawas,  43,  44. 

UPPER  SANDUSKY,  41,  42. 
VIRGINIA,  48. 

WATSON,  Reverend,  55,  57. 
Whitewoman  Creek,  45. 
Williams,  Colonel,  40,  42. 
Wills  Creek,  66. 
Wilson,  Samuel,  63. 
Wyandott  Indians,  38,  43,  45. 


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JUN     5  197 


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